ASEAN and India host Reception to commemorate 25 years of ASEAN–India Dialogue Relations and 50 years of foundation of ASEAN

Indian Mission to ASEANJakarta

Press Release

ASEAN and India host Reception to commemorate 25 years of ASEAN–India Dialogue Relations and 50 years of foundation of ASEAN

A reception was held by H.E Suresh K. Reddy, Ambassador of India to ASEAN on 2nd November, 2017 to commemorate 25 years of ASEAN–India Dialogue Relations and 50 years of the foundation of ASEAN. The event was co-hosted by H.E Nguyen Hoanh Nam, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to ASEAN, in his capacity as ASEAN coordinator for India. The event held at the Indian Mission to ASEAN was attended by 200 dignitaries from Diplomatic core, Eminent Persons from ASEAN countries, and India-ASEAN diaspora.

Ambassador Nguyen Hoanh Nam congratulated ASEAN and India for completing 25 years of Dialogue Relations during which the relationship quickly progressed to the level of a strategic partnership. He referred to continued expansion of the relationship into new sectors under the Act East Policy of India. ASEAN also consider India to be an important partner in other ASEAN-led fora such as the East Asia Summit, ASEAN Regional Forum, ADMM+, etc.

The Ambassador of India to ASEAN congratulated ASEAN on achieving the milestone of completing 50 years of extra-ordinary service to the region since it was founded in 1967. He briefed the meeting on the new Act East Policy of India, which puts ASEAN at the core of our mutual relationship, and referred to the value India invests in this relationship. He spoke of the millennia old cultural and civilizational links which have laid the foundation for an enduring partnership between countries of ASEAN and India. He complimented the dynamism of India and ASEAN Member States which has resulted in the region achieving a high economic rate of growth. In particular, he referred to the demographic dividend in form of our youthful populations, which itself assured that the India-ASEAN region would continue along the high trajectory of growth for a long time to come.

In order to engage the youth as future leaders of ASEAN and India, an ASEAN-India Youth Summit was held in Bhopal in India which resulted in adoption of the Bhopal Declaration. Moreover, an ASEAN-India Music Festival and an ASEAN-India Artist Camp was organized which enthused the youth to celebrate and make lasting bonds of relationship. ASEAN-India Students Exchange Programme is conducted every year to give a glimpse of ASEAN and India to the youth through a structured program which includes visit to important cultural cities, visit to top Indian business firms, interaction with captains of Indian business, call on Indian leadership, briefing with media houses in both countries as well as direct interaction with students and faculty in Indian and ASEAN Universities. An India- ASEAN Youth Awards Program is being scheduled along with an ASEAN-India Hackathon and Start-up meet and an ICT Expo to provide unique opportunities to their Start-up entrepreneurs to expand businesses and regional value chains.

The silver jubilee of ASEAN-India dialogue partnership was launched by organizing the 2nd ASEAN-India Cultural and Civilizational Links Conference at Jakarta on 19th January, 2017. It’s a matter of pride that their Excellencies, the Prime Minister Modi of India and President Duterte of the Philippines as Chair of ASEAN, exchanged congratulatory letters in January, 2017 on this historic occasion as did their excellences the External Affairs Minister of India and Secretary General of ASEAN. A number of commemorative activities have been concluded, including the special ASEAN-India Ministerial/Business Meet in Telecom sector on the sidelines of Telecom Expo in February, 2017, 6th Global Economic Summit with special session on Women Entrepreneurs in ASEAN, Act East Dialogue, Kolkata Dialogue, Delhi Dialogue, Launch of ASEAN-India Women Entrepreneurs Forum, North-East Business Summit with focus on Connectivity, ASEAN-India Biztech Conference in Kuala Lumpur, ASEAN-India Roundtable on 25years of Partnership, India Naval Ship Port Calls in ASEAN countries, to name a few. Forthcoming events include ASEAN-India ICT Expo at Jakarta, ASEAN-India Connectivity Summit, ASEAN-India Business Summit etc. All these activities have been designed to culminate in the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit on 25th January, 2018.

India and ASEAN have laid-out an ambitious Plan of Action for the years 2016-2020 under which they plan to expand and deepen the strategic partnership into new and crucial areas of cooperation for peace, progress and economic prosperity of the region. India’s expanding role in the region has been welcomed by all ASEAN countries.